Your ideal body mass index, or BMI, is determined by your personal preferences concerning the amount of muscle and fat you believe is optimal for you. Normal BMI figures for adults 20 years and older range from 18.5 to 24.9. It is likely that your ideal figure will be in this range. If, however, you prefer a more heavily muscled physique, then your ideal BMI might be greater than 25, a figure that indicates overweight in people who are not dedicated athletes or weight lifters.
Measure Yourself
Step 1
Weigh yourself in the morning right after you wake up, before breakfast and before dressing. Record the measurement in either kilograms or pounds.
Step 2
Measure your height. Stand against a solid surface such as a wall or door frame. Stand relaxed without stretching or slouching. Keep your shoulders back and your head pressed against the wall or frame. Make a pencil mark on the surface that corresponds to the top of your head. Record the distance from the floor to the mark in centimeters if you recorded your weight in kilograms, or in inches if you recorded your weight in pounds.
Step 3
Enter your height in centimeters and your weight in kilograms, or enter your height in inches and your weight in pounds, into the appropriate formula for calculating BMI for individuals 20 years and older. For English measurements multiply your height in inches by your height in inches. Divide this product into your weight in pounds. Multiply the result by 703 to get your BMI. For metric measurements multiply your height in meters by your height in meters. Divide the product into your weight in kilograms to get your BMI.
Step 4
Compare your BMI reading to those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies for adults 20 years and older.
Normal BMI: 18.5 -- 24.9
Underweight: Less than 18.5
Overweight: 25.0 -- 29.9
Obese: 30.0 and Above
Step 5
Adjust your weight, percentage of body fat and percentage of muscle through diet and exercise until you achieve the ideal BMI you chose for yourself.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Yardstick or measuring tape
- Computer
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